Ahrefs Podcast

Louis Grenier has built a reputation for calling bullsh*t on conventional marketing. In this episode, he delivers sharp, unfiltered insights on what it really takes to stand out in saturated markets. As the founder of Stand The F*ck Out and host of Everyone Hates Marketers, Louis breaks down why most branding efforts fail, how to create a truly unique positioning, and what marketers get wrong about differentiation and audience engagement.Discover: (00:00) Intro(00:57) Parental advisory(03:24) How do you know if your positioning is bad? (07:02) Positiong vs product-market fit(16:00) Step 1: Insight foraging(40:02) Step 2: Unique positioning(56:36) Step 3: Creating a distinctive brand(1:12:59) Step 4: Continuous reach(1:36:17) The book that cost him $36,000(1:48:02) Outro------------------------------------------------Where to find Louis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisgrenier/Website: https://www.stfo.io/Where to find Tim: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timsoulo/X: @timsouloWebsite: https://www.timsoulo.com/-----------------------------------------------Referenced in this episode: 👤 PeopleSeth GodinWebsite: https://www.sethgodin.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethgodin/Gary VaynerchukWebsite: https://www.garyvaynerchuk.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garyvaynerchuk/Neil PatelWebsite: https://neilpatel.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilkpatel/Jason HennesseyWebsite: https://www.jasonhennessey.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonhennessey/David C. BakerWebsite: https://www.davidcbaker.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidcbaker/Martin NeumeierWebsite: https://www.martinneumeier.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinneumeier/⸻🏢 Companies & PodcastsHotjarhttps://www.hotjar.comEveryone Hates Marketers Podcasthttps://www.everyonehatesmarketers.comDuolingohttps://www.duolingo.comRyanairhttps://www.ryanair.comDentsuhttps://www.dentsu.comVaynerMediahttps://www.vaynermedia.comNP Digitalhttps://npdigital.comHennessey Digitalhttps://www.hennessey.comHubSpothttps://www.hubspot.comCompare the Market (UK)https://www.comparethemarket.com⸻📚 BooksStand the Fck Out* by Louis Grenierhttps://link.stfo.io/amazonThe Business of Expertise by David C. Bakerhttps://www.amazon.com/Business-Expertise-Entrepreneurs-Firms-Clients/dp/1605440590Zag by Martin Neumeierhttps://www.amazon.com/Zag-Strategy-High-Performance-Voices-Matter/dp/0321426770How Brands Grow by Byron Sharphttps://www.amazon.com/How-Brands-Grow-What-Marketers/dp/0195573560

What does it really take to drive scalable, data-informed growth in today’s competitive marketing landscape? In this episode, we sit down with Tim Dalrymple — former Head of Growth Marketing at Notion and Director of Growth at Webflow — to unpack how elite teams are rethinking attribution, customer acquisition, and product-led growth from the ground up.Tim shares lessons from leading marketing at two of the most iconic product-led brands and offers a clear-eyed look at how to build growth systems that actually move the needle. Whether you’re deep into performance marketing or looking to sharpen your measurement strategy, this conversation brings sharp insights into everything from SEO and user-generated content to ethical marketing and AI-driven decision-making.Discover: (0:00) Intro(1:29) What is growth marketing (and how it differs from brand marketing)(6:55) Where growth marketing sits on the org chart(10:40) Tracking view-through conversions through YouTube(20:20) Geolift tests: why you want them and how to do them(23:34) Why platforms claim attribution(26:57) Bidding on branded keywords(31:25) Performance marketing on social media(35:58) Who owns campaign ideation(38:09) Creating brand videos(47:39) SEO at Notion and Webflow(51:22) Linkbuilding at Notion and Webflow(54:18) Using agencies to forge channels(56:27) The AI growth marketing co-worker(01:03:43) Scaling growth at Roadway(01:11:51) Outro_______________________________________Where to find Tim Dalrymple:LinkedInWebsiteWhere to find Tim Soulo:LinkedInWebsite-------------------------Referenced: Sean Ellis Brian Balfour Reforge - The Growth Series Bryant Chou (Webflow Co-founder) Monday.com Tableau Recast Eppo Rand Fishkin Bruno Clay Product Fit Article Misha Vaughn Graphite Clay

Borko Kovacevic is the co-founder of Poddster, a fast-growing podcast studio network with locations in Dubai and Singapore, with upcoming locations in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Borko is also the co-founder of podcast operations software, Podyx. In this episode, Borko shares the behind-the-scenes story of building Poddster, the trends shaping podcasting today, and what it really takes to create a podcast that drives business results.What you’ll learn:1. Why podcasting is shifting from audio-only to video—and how YouTube is winning the game2. How businesses and creators approach podcasts differently (and why only 5% of Poddster’s clients are full-time creators)3. The biggest mistakes businesses make when starting a podcast—and why “interesting guests” aren’t enough4. Why every small business owner needs to be a content creator in today’s world5. The role of trust and authenticity in podcasting—and how mainstream media’s decline has fueled the format’s growth6. The untold challenges of podcasting (hint: it’s way harder than it looks)7. Why podcasting is the ultimate networking hack—and how it can be used as a business development tool8. How production quality impacts discoverability and engagement9. The surprising reasons 99% of podcasts don’t make it past 20 episodes10. Much moreIn this episode: (0:00) Intro(1:25) Why podcasting is the wave of the future(5:05) Who is podcasting? (10:58) Creator vs business podcasting(16:18) Motivations and goals behind business podcasts(34:53) What makes a good podcast or podcast episode(41:37) Common challenges in podcasting(53:40) Zoom vs in-person interviews(1:03:35) Different podcast strategies(1:08:37) Types of podcasts(1:16:12) How to market a podcast(1:35:34) The benefits of video studios beyond podcasting(1:38:31) Where to find quality studios(1:46:47) OutroWhere to find BorkoLinkedInPoddsterPodyxWhere to find TimLinkedInXWebsiteReferencedMagnus Grimeland: https://youtu.be/6dNFsSWcQFYNir Eyal:  @nirandfar  Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee):  @garyvee  Lex Fridman:  @lexfridman  Joe Rogan:  @joerogan  Scott Galloway (Prof G):  @TheProfGPod  Steven Bartlett"  @TheDiaryOfACEO  Tom Bilyeu:  @TomBilyeu 

Meet Magnus Grimeland - the founder and CEO of Antler - a one BILLION dollar venture capital firm dedicated to investing in startups at the earliest stages. As of today, Antler has invested in over 14 hundred companies, making it the largest day-zero investor in the world. And they have an audacious goal to invest in 6 thousand companies before 2030. In this episode, you'll learn: (0:00) Intro (02:36) Why are people more important than ideas?  (06:04) Examples of iterating on ideas (19:17) Hipster, Hacker, Hustler vs. Spike, Drive, Grit (29:22) Can marketers be good founders (34:39) Soft skills vs hard skills (39:03) The role of marketing in zero-day investments (46:07) What do experts get out of advising zero-day startups?  (53:45) Borrowing other people’s platforms (1:00:54) The first marketing steps for any startup (1:05:42) Building a brand (1:15:27) Founder brand vs. building local networks (1:22:03) How Antler gets referrals (1:29:52) Why VC firms don’t use SEO (1:37:33) How Antler decides who to invest in (1:40:06) Outro We hope you enjoyed this episode of Ahrefs Podcast! As always, be sure to like and subscribe (and tell a friend). Where to find Magnus: LinkedIn Website Where to find Tim: LinkedIn X Website ------------------------- Referenced: • Zalora • Lion • Basket of goods • G&A _______________ Ahrefs Podcast Host: Tim Soulo Podcast Producer: Michelle Lindner Intro Storyboard: Michelle Lindner & Tim Soulo Intro Video Lead: George Dolgikh Intro Video Animations: Ilya Yakymchuck Filmed at:  @PoddsterSingapore 

Delbert Ty, CMO at Coffee Meets Bagel, has a rich background in viral marketing from his time at Procter & Gamble and Circles.Life. He reveals the secrets behind successful campaigns, stressing the importance of storytelling and audience understanding. Delbert discusses unconventional tactics that often challenge traditional ideas, like his hilarious billboard stunt and an innovative $3 data plan from a vending machine. He emphasizes the need for courage in marketing, balancing wild creativity with strategic objectives, and even highlights when ‘bad’ ideas can lead to success.

Madhav Bhandari, a seasoned CMO known for scaling SaaS companies, shares invaluable insights into early-stage marketing strategies. He discusses the importance of creating a playbook for startups and why his focus peaks at $15M ARR. Madhav highlights employee advocacy on LinkedIn as a powerful marketing tool and introduces innovative concepts like Demo Days to engage potential customers. He also emphasizes the shift in SEO metrics and the balance between personal and company branding, shedding light on how to navigate the complexities of startup marketing.

How can you rise to unicorn status in an industry dominated by legacy players? Jon Stona, VP of Global Marketing at B2B global payments processor Airwallex shares his insights into growing the company from a coffee shop in Australia to a dominant player in the fintech space.  Today, Airwallex has a $5.6B valuation and handles $100B in processing volume. So, what's the marketing machine behind this financial challenger brand?  00:00 Intro 01:29 What is the marketing budget for a $5B company? 02:55 Sponsorships and the theory of economic value10:48 Celebrity partnerships 22:04 The mechanics of sports marketing23:48 Bringing structure to a marketing team26:53 The role of product marketing within a company33:14 Transforming company culture35:47 The difference between leadership and therapy45:17 Building a sustainable brand59:43 Measuring growth through branded search 1:06:20 Are operating principles important for a company? 1:12:01 Differentiating yourself as a commodity1:14:08 Building out PMM teams for different products1:16:57 Allocating SEO budget1:18:48 The usefulness of industry reports1:26:11 How to use case studies in marketing1:31:04 Getting your name in the press1:34:33 Driving growth through industry events1:41:17 Industry awards 1:46:48 Outro We hope you enjoyed this episode of Ahrefs Podcast! As always, be sure to like and subscribe (and tell a friend).  Where to find Jon: LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstona/) Website: https://www.airwallex.com/ Where to find Tim: LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/timsoulo/) X: @timsoulo Website: https://www.timsoulo.com/ -------------------------Referenced: McLaren: @mclarenF1: @Formula1Lando Norris: @LandoNorrisShifted Perspectives: https://www.airwallex.com/airwallex-mclaren-racing-shifted-perspectivesMichael Murphy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Murphy_(sculptor)Mere exposure effect (psychology): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mere-exposure_effectForrester: @forresterEdgar, Dunn & Company: https://www.edgardunn.com/Skift: @skiftnewsYouGov: https://www.yougov.com/David Fallarme: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dfallarme/) Stripe Sessions: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcoWp8pBTM3CYTQho8i-a_lzx4cq7-ePhBeyond Black FridayeCommerce Champion Awards: https://www.airwallex.com/newsroom/amid-online-spending-resurgence-airwallex-unveils-inaugural-airwallexMoney20/20: https://www.money2020.com/ Cloud 100 list: https://www.forbes.com/cloud100/list/

Neil Patel, a giant in digital marketing and founder of NP Digital, shares how he scaled his agency to over $100 million. He discusses the shift from serving small businesses to landing enterprise clients like ESPN and LVMH. Neil reveals the importance of client relationships and effective churn-reduction strategies. He also emphasizes personal branding's role in business growth and his decision to pivot away from selling courses. Plus, he candidly reflects on his spending habits and how they connect with professional credibility.

Steven Kalifowitz, CMO of Crypto.com, shares his journey from HBO to one of crypto's leading brands. He dives into the art of transforming a brand amid regulatory hurdles and discusses managing million-dollar marketing budgets. There's insight on differentiating casual from heavy users and leveraging live sports for visibility. Kalifowitz also debunks myths around NFTs and explores the importance of authenticity in branding. His expertise in managing brand narratives shines as he emphasizes the need for constant engagement and strategic partnerships to foster trust.

Fery Kaszoni, CEO of Search Intelligence Ltd, shares his journey from web developer to leading a £10M digital PR agency. He reveals how his viral song spoofs bolstered his personal brand and discusses the delicate balance of humor in marketing. Fery also highlights effective team dynamics, strategic hiring, and the transformative impact of a four-day workweek. He argues that social media and brand visibility are redefining SEO and provides insights on achieving consistent messaging to enhance audience engagement.